Masters of Comics. Black Orchid
Screenplay: Neil Gaiman
Drawings: Dave McKean
Translation: Paulina Braiter
Susan Linden was brutally murdered. To avenge his death, he is reborn as the Black Orchid – a hybrid of man and plant. Using his human memory and the power derived from plants, he tries to unravel the network of deceptions and secrets that led to her murder and find the murderer.
The album, nominated for the Eisner and Harvey awards, was created by two giants of American comics: Neil Gaiman (author of, among others, the “Sandman” series and the albums “Murders and Secrets”, “Harlequin and Valentine’s Day”, “The Last Temptation”) and Dave McKean, one of the most respected contemporary graphic designers, illustrator and filmmaker (“Arkham Asylum”). McKean is also the author of the covers for the “Sandman” series and incl. Tori Amos and Alice Cooper album covers.
“Black Orchid” is a story that, although it tells about a superheroine – the title Black Orchid – does not resemble typical comics about heroes in capes. This is not a story about the salvation of the world, the triumph of good over demonic forces of evil. The story begins in a very unusual way and becomes even stranger with each page it passes. The album became a landmark work in the history of modern comics. This tale of Susan Linden’s extraordinary life, deconstructing and reviving the genre at the same time, embodies a new maturity of graphic storytelling that revolutionized the comic book world. As the author himself says, if you enter this world, you will find yourself in a place where all accepted genre traditions have been rejected, and a new mythology has appeared instead,
The new issue of Black Orchid includes Black Orchid # 1–3, as well as an introduction by journalist Mikal Gilmore, and Neil Gaiman’s unpublished sketches, notes and mockups.
